Device for threading tobacco leaves upon a needle



Jan. 23, 1968 M. GARCIA 3,365,082

DEVICE FOR THREADING TOBACCO LEAVES UPON A NEEDLE Filed May 25, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 23, 1968 M. GARCIA 3,365,082

DEVICE FOR THREADING TOBACCO LEAVES UPON A NEEDLE Filed May 25, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 2 M. GARCIA Jan. 23, 1968 DEVICE FOR THREADING TOBACCOLEAVES UPON A NEEDLE 4, SheetsSheet 3 Filed May 25, 1965 Jan. 23, 19683,365,082

DEVICE FOR THREADING TOBACCO LEAVES UPON A NEEDLE M. GARCIA Filed May25, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent DEVICE FOR THREADINGTGBACCG LEAVES UPON A NEEDLE Marcel Garcia, Rive Droite du Sebou Km 13,Kenitra, Morocco Filed May 25, 1965, Ser. No. 453,650

Claims priority, application Switzerland, May 29, 1964,

7,058/64 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-55) The invention relates to a device forthreading leaves, particularly tobacco leaves, on a needle and from thelatter on a string which is threaded through an eye at one end of theneedle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a manually operable devicewhich is simple and very eflicient and enables the operator to threadthe leaves gathered in the field quickly on a needle until a bunch ofleaves, known as hand, is formed which is transferred from the needle toa string and then is ready for immediate further processing, such asdrying in a barn.

The device of the invention comprises a tubular housing closed at oneend and provided with a lengthwise extending openin therein, a tubularsocket within said tubular housing at said closed end, and a needlehaving an eye at one of its ends for threading a string therethrough isadapted to be inserted into said socket. A pair of jaw members pivotallyis mounted in opposed relation on said tubular housing and extends intothe latter and is used for maintaining said needle centrally within saidhousing and parallel to said lengthwise extending opening. A plungerextends slidably into the other end of said tubular housing and springmeans are provided for holding and returning said plunger in an extendedposition in which the lower end of said plunger is axially spaced fromthe pointed end of the needle in said housing. An axial bore in thelower end of said plunger receives and guides said needle when theplunger is manually moved into said tubular housing to engage a stem ofa leaf inserted through said lengthwise extending opening and thread itupon said pin, said lower end of said plunger being arranged in such anaxially spaced relation from said jaw members so as to engage and openthe same when the needle enters said axial bore in said plunger andmoves said stern of the leaf past said jaw member and along said needle,and means are provided for automatically closing said opened jaw memberswhen said plunger returns to its initial extended position.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of device in operative position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the base andhousing of the device;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the upper portion of the device whenviewed from the right-hand side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevation View of the upper portion of the device whenviewed from the left-hand side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a similar view as FIG. 3, but showing the movable parts in adifferent position;

FIG. 6 is a similar view as FIG. 4, but showing the movable parts in adifierent position;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the upper portion of the housing;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the plunger which is slidably mountedin the upper portion of the housing; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along the line 99 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the device comprises a longitudinalvertically extending housing 2, the upper portion 3 is formed by arectangular tube, While the lower portion 4 is provided with alengthwise extending opening by being U-shaped in cross-section andclosed by a base 5. A plunger 6 of rectangular tubular cross-sectionextends slidably into the upper tubular portion 3 of the housing 2 andis provided at its upper end with a handle 6a. A guide rod 7 extendsparallel to the housing 2 and is fixedly attached with its lower end toa lateral projection 8 on the housing 2, while its upper end extendsslidably through a bore in a lateral projection 9 on the plunger 6. Ahelical pressure spring 10' surrounds the guide rod 7 and bears with itsends against the projections 8 and 9 to normally keep the plunger 6 inan extended position.

As particularly illustrated in the FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the upperportion 3 of the housing 2 has pivotally mounted on horizontal pivotpins 11, 12 disposed on the outside of two oppositely arranged walls ofthe housing 2 a pair of jaw members 13, 14 of sheet metal adapted to besimultaneously moved into and out of the housing 2 which for thispurpose is provided in the respective walls with rectangular apertures15 and 16. The jaw members 13 and 14 as shown in FIG. 7 are U-shaped incrosssection and the free ends 13a and 14a of the same are each providedwith a V-shaped notch 17 and 18 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 to surround aneedle 20 arranged within the housing 2 in a manner to be describedpresently. The pivot pins 11, 12 are journaled in pairs of bearingbrackets 21, 22 attached to the outside of the housing and one outer endof the pivot pins 11, 12 have toothed sectors 23, 24 attached thereto(FIG. 6) which mesh with each other. Outwardly extending arms 25, 26 onthese toothed sectors are connected with each other by a helical tensionspring 27 which tends to rotate the sectors 23, 24 in a direction inwhich the jaw members 13 and 14 are moved into the housing 2. When thefree ends of the jaw members 13 and 14 are in overlapping relation asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the notches 17 and 18 form a guide aperture forthe needle 20 in the housing 2.

For the purpose of connecting the plunger 6 quickly releasably with thehousing 2, the upper end of the guide rod 7 is provided with adiametrical slot 29 traversed by a pin 30 which passes through a slot 31in a loosely mounted cross bar 32 (FIGS. 4 and 7). In FIGS. 4 and 6 thecross bar 32 extends at right angles to the guide rod 7 and prevents theremoval of the plunger 6 from the housing 2. A spring 33 and loose pin33a within an axial bore 34 in the guide rod 7 tends to maintain thecross bar 32 in this locking position. The lengthwise extending slot 31in the cross bar 32 permits an adjustment of the latter into a positionin axial alinement of the guide rod 7, as shown in FIG. 7, whereby thespring 33 and pin 33a again lock the bar 32 in this position, and sincethe bar 32 is of a size to be moved in the latter position through thebore 9a in the lateral projection 9, it is obvious that now the plunger6 can be entirely removed from the housing 2.

The lower end of the plunger 6, as particularly shown in FIGS. 3 and 8is provided with lateral recess 36 forming below the same a lateralledge 37 upon which are mounted two bearing brackets 38, 38a which havejournaled therebetween about a pin 39 an eccentric cam 40 with anoutwardly extending handle 41 thereon. The circular circumference of theeccentric cam 40 is provided with serrations to provide a good grippingaction for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The lower closed endof the plunger 6 is provided with a vertical bore 43 for the passage andguidance of the needle 20 which in a certain position of the plunger 6is adapted to be engaged by the eccentric cam 40. Furthermore, a pair ofspaced and opposed wing members 44 and 45 with oppositely inclined facesextend downwardly from the lower end of the plunger and are positionedleft and right from the axis of the needle 24 as shown in FIGS. and 6,which show the plunger 6 in a partly descended position in which theplunger 6 has engaged the free ends 13a and 14a of the jaws 13 and 14and has moved the same outwardly of the housing 2.

The housing 2 is adapted and provided to receive the needle 20 forpiercing the stems of tobacco leaves or the like, which are to betransferred from the needle 24) to a string 46 to form a bunch oftobacco known as hand. For this purpose the lower end of the housing 2has mounted therein a tubular socket 48 (FIG. 2) with an upper flaredend 48a to receive the lower end of the needle 20 having an eye 20athrough which the string 46 is threaded. The upper pointed end of theneedle 29 comes to lie just above the normally closed jaw members 13, 14ready to receive the stems of tobacco leaves as indicated in FIG. 1. Forassisting in holding the needle 29 centrally within the housing 2, thelower portion thereof has mounted on the outside thereof a pair of leafsprings 52, 53 whose angularly bent free ends 52a and 53a extend throughsuitable apertures 54, 55 of the housing 2 into the interior of the sameand in engagement with the needle 20 as shown in FIG. 2. In addition alocking pin 56 is provided midway of the housing 2 for blocking the leafbundle in position when the tobacco leaves 60 on the latter attain thislevel. The blocking pin 56 is mounted in a lateral extension 57containing a leaf spring 58 engaging the stem of the pin 56 either infront or in rear of a ball-shaped enlargement 59 thereon to secure thepin 56 in either blocking or release position.

Referring to FIG. 1, the lower end of the housing 2 has pivotallyattached thereto on end of a platform 61 extending in the operativeposition of the device inclined upwardly to receive in superimposedrelation the tobacco leaves 6t) which are threaded on the needle 20.This platform 61 is maintained in the desired inclined position bypivotally mounted braces 62 and 63 of which the brace 62 is adjustablyattached by Wing nuts 64, 65 to the frame 2 and platform 61respectively, while the brace 63 is also secured by the wing nut 65 andextends downwardly from the platform 61 to engage the floor. Uponloosening the wing nuts 64, 65, the platform 61 and braces 62, 63 may befolded fiat against the housing 2 for convenient transportation of thedevice from place to place.

The device of the invention is operated and functions in the followingmanner:

In the extended position of the plunger 6, as shown in FIG. 1, and withthe housing 2 placed in a substantially vertical position on the ground,the operator seizes the handle 6a with one of its hands and with hisother hand inserts the stem 61):: of a tobacco leaf 60 into the housing2 into the open space 66 formed between the lower end of the plunger 6and the pointed end of the needle 24) which projects through theaperture formed by the overlapping notches 17, 18 in the closed jawmembers 13 and 14 (FIG. 3). Upon a downward pressure exerted on thehandle 6a, the plunger 6 slides downwardly into the housing 2; the twowing members 44, 45 surround the stem 60a in a saddle-like manner, andthe lower end of the plunger 6 engages the inwardly projecting free ends13a, 14a of the jaw members 13, 14 and move the same outwardly of thehousing.

The stem 60a is pierced by the needle 20 and threaded upon the same andis moved downwardly past the opened jaw members 13, 14. At the sametime, the guidance of the needle 20 is taken over by the bore 43provided in the lower closed end of the plunger. The plunger 6 is nowpermitted to return under the action of the spring to its extendedposition; the jaw members 13, 14 close under the action of the spring 27and then another stem of a tobacco leaf is inserted into the space 66and the just previously described threading operation is repeated untilthe desired number of leaves have been threaded on the needle 29 and isplaced on the platform 61. At the end of the last threading operation,the operator pushes the blocking pin 56 into leaf blocking position androtates the eccentric cam 49 into a clamping position with the needle 29so that when the plunger 6 is returned to its extended position, theneedle 26 and the tobacco leaves thereon are taken along until the lowerend of the needle 20 has been removed from its socket 43 at the base ofthe housing 2. The needle 29 is now removed from the housing 2 and theleaves on the needle 20, being blocked by the blocking pin 56, arestrung onto the string 46. The hand of tobacco leaves so formed istransported to a curing place where it is suspended by the hook 68attached to one end of the string 46.

What I claim is:

1. A device for threading leaves, particularly tobacco leaves, upon astring to form hands, comprising a tubular housing closed at one end andprovided with a lengthwise extending opening, a tubular socket withinsaid tubular housing at said closed end, a needle having an eye at oneof its ends for threading the string therethrough, said eye containingend of the needle being adapted to be inserted into said socket, a pairof jaw members pivotally mounted in opposed relation on said tubularhousing and extending into the latter and having means for maintainingsaid needle centrally within said housing and parallel to saidlengthwise extending opening, a plunger slidably extending into theother end of said tubular housing, spring means for holding andreturning said plunger in an extended position in which the lower end ofsaid plunger is axially spaced from the pointed end of the needle insaid housing, an axial bore in the lower end of said plunger forreceiving and guiding said needle when the plunger is manually movedinto said tubular housing to engage the stem of a leaf inserted throughsaid lengthwise extending opening and threaded it upon said pin, saidlower end of said plunger being arranged in such an axially spacedrelation from said jaw members so as to engage and open the same whenthe needle enters said axial bore in said plunger and moves said sternof the leaf past said jaw member and along said needle, means forautomatically closing said opened jaw members when said plunger returnsto its initial extended position, and manually operable cam means on thelower end of said plunger for clamping said needle when the latterextends through said axial bore of said plunger so that the latter uponits movement to initial position takes the needle along and removes itfrom said tubular socket at the closed end of said housing.

2. A device for threading leaves, particularly tobacco leaves to formhands, comprising a tubular housing closed at one end and provided witha lengthwise extending opening, a tubular socket within said tubularhousing at said closed end, a needle having an eye at one of its endsfor threading a string therethrough, said eye containing end of theneedle being adapted to be inserted into said socket, a pair of jawmembers pivotally mounted in opposed relation on said tubular housingand extending into the latter and having means for maintaining saidneedle centrally within said housing and parallel to said lengthwiseextending opening, a plunger slidably extending into the other end ofsaid tubular housing, spring means for holding and returning saidplunger in an extended position in which the lower end of said plungeris axially spaced from the pointed end of the needle in said housing, anaxial bore in the lower end of said plunger for receiving and guidingsaid needle when the plunger is manually moved into said tubular housingto engage the stern of a leaf inserted through said lengthwise extendingopening and thread it upon said pin, said lower end of said plungerbeing arranged in such an axially spaced relation from said jaw membersso as to engage and open the same when the needle enters said axial borein said plunger and moves said stem of the leaf past said jaw member andalong said needle, and means for automatically closing said opened jawmembers when said plunger returns to its initial extended position, saidlast named means comprising toothed sectors fixedly attached to said jawmembers and rotatable about the same axes as the latter, said toothedsectors being in mesh with each other, and spring means connecting saidsectors with one another and urging the same in a direction in whichsaid jaw members are closed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,650,990 11/1927 Kennedy 214-556 1,893,538 1/1933 Ederer 29241 2,087,508 7/1937 Fair 214-55 2,495,8741/1950 Stula 2145.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,278,898 11/196 1 France.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

R. B. JOHNSON, Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR THREADING LEAVES, PARTICULARLY TOBACCO LEAVES, UPON ASTRING TO FORM HANDS, COMPRISING A TUBULAR HOUSING CLOSED AT ONE END ANDPROVIDED WITH A LENGTHWISE EXTENDING OPENING, A TUBULAR SOCKET WITHINSAID TUBULAR HOUSING AT SAID CLOSED END, A NEEDLE HAVING AN EYE AT ONEOF ITS ENDS FOR THREADING THE STRING THERETHROUGH, SAID EYE CONTAININGEND OF THE NEEDLE BEING ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED INTO SAID SOCKET, A PAIROF JAW MEMBERS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN EXPOSED RELATION ON SAID TUBULARHOUSING AND EXTENDING INTO THE LATTER AND HAVING MEANS FOR MAINTAININGSAID NEEDLE CENTRALLY WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND PARALLEL TO SAIDLENGHTWISE EXTENDING OPENING, A PLUNGER SLIDABLY EXTENDING INTO THEOTHER END OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING, SPRING MEANS FOR HOLDING ANDRETURNING SAID PLUNGER IN AN EXTENDED POSITION IN WHICH THE LOWER END OFSAID PLUNGER IS AXIALLY SPACED FROM THE POINTED END OF THE NEEDLE INSAID HOUSING, AN AXIAL BORE IN THE LOWER END OF SAID PLUNGER FORRECEIVING SAID GUIDING SAID NEEDLE WHEN THE PLUNGER IS MANUALLY MOVEDINTO SAID TUBULAR HOUSING TO ENGAGE THE STEM OF A LEAF INSERTED THROUGHSAID LENGTH WISE EXTENDING OPENING AND THREADED IT UPON SAID PIN, SAIDLOWER END OF SAID PLUNGER BEING ARRANGED IN SUCH AN AXIALLY SPACEDRELATION FROM SAID JAW MEMBERS SO AS TO ENGAGE SAID OPEN THE SAME WHENTHE NEEDLE ENTERS SAID AXIAL BORE IN SAID PLUNGER